Ron Kaplan, Book Reviewer

This engaging work presents a realistic glimpse of the early twentieth century. Mary Burns’s new novel, "The Reason for Time", focuses on a young Irish immigrant in early twentieth century Chicago whose world is rocked when a blimp... Read More

Epiphanies await Bridey throughout "Dodging Satan", and such well-drawn, jaw-dropping moments are significant. Kathleen Zamboni McCormick’s fictionalized memoir about growing up in the 1960s in a religious and dysfunctional family... Read More

Want to know how to attain both inner and outer power? Check your own unique “Powerprints.” As we head into another presidential election, the issue of power is once again a source of curiosity. Why do certain people crave it, and,... Read More

This Wild West military history pays homage to those who settled an embattled land. The United States’ expansion into Texas in the early nineteenth century was fraught with challenges. The pioneers who made the bold move to leave the... Read More

Wilson paints a portrait of a thoughtful man who was not afraid to change his mind on the culturally accepted practices of the South. Private John S. Mosby, a lawyer in civilian life, described himself as “an indifferent soldier,”... Read More

This is a fascinating look at Harold Arlen’s beloved music, mixed with a good dose of name dropping, family drama, and nostalgia. If you’re a member of the “greatest generation,” or even just a lover of the Great American... Read More

Bicknell’s holistic analysis of 1844 America shows how much the nation has changed—and how much it hasn’t. After reading John Bicknell’s new history about the United States in the mid-19th century, one comes away with the feeling... Read More

Rowan offers an entertaining documentation of the Cubs’ influence on American history. At a key moment in It’s a Wonderful Life, the angel Clarence tells a despondent George Bailey how each life touches so many others. That seems to... Read More